IMO, neither has a tribal vibe. Also, these rugs seem to call for a stone, tile or concrete floor. They seem very odd placed with the setting in question, at least to me, I would expect a heavier rug with a more interesting pattern, something with a little mileage on it so that it does not look like you bought your life out of a catalog.

Not all kilims are prayer rugs. This is a traditional design. You see the same interlocking symbol all over Turkish kilims. Sometimes it is mixed in with other symbols, sometimes it is simply repeated over and over again.

Not all kilims are prayer rugs. This is a traditional design. You see the same interlocking symbol all over Turkish kilims. Sometimes it is mixed in with other symbols, sometimes it is simply repeated over and over again.

You have a tendency to assume I know less than I do.

Nope, just mentioning what I prefer in rugs. Been thinking a lot about the subject lately, since we're on the search for one or two for my study. I tend to prefer flat weaves for more rustic circumstances and maybe juxtaposed with Bauhaus furniture, but not for more elegant uses.

Nope, just mentioning what I prefer in rugs. Been thinking a lot about the subject lately, since we're on the search for one or two for my study. I tend to prefer flat weaves for more rustic circumstances and maybe juxtaposed with Bauhaus furniture, but not for more elegant uses.

This would look great with bauhaus type stuff. Pretty sure it is morrocan, not kilim.

Where is a good source for these sorts of rugs? Looking for kilims, for example, yields dozens of web shops that may or may not be reputable.

A reputable on-line carpet dealer? I think you had better resign yourself to the idea that WYSIWYG. Any extraordinary claims should be discounted by close to 100%. If someone is offering you a brand-new machine-made mostly-wool carpet, you will probably get what you pay for. If someone is offering you an antique 100% Vicuna, 2000 knots/inch carpet that was hand-woven by the Sultan's Mother-in-Law, not so much.

If you want to buy something special, you really have to inspect the goods in person. And even then, something is almost sure to get by you even if you know what to look for. Even assuming the dealer is being 100% straight with you -- a big assumption --carpets can have a very long and convoluted supply chain so there are lots of opportunities for fudging, especially regarding materials and age. Maybe its 100% silk and maybe it's not.

We're not looking for a masterpiece or anything extraordinary. But if we go the route of a kilim or a berber, we'd like a genuine one--not some mass-produced rendition for the interior design market. Really, we'd like to spend no more than $2,000 on something 5x8 to 6x9. Much, much less would be even better. To be quite honest, the normal mass-produced rugs we've been looking at are all less than $500. At this point, we just aren't comfortable spending a lot on something that may or may not outlive our current apartment. We are okay spending more on furniture because we are more certain of its long-term adaptability.

I've found what appears to be a reputable, legitimate kilim designer who works with Anatolian village women to make the rugs you spec, and they sell for around $1,500. You'd probably pay a bunch less if you skipped past a designer and did it through a rug shop instead, but then there is added risk. Sound potentially legitimate?

I'd rather not get such a rug at all if what we're looking for is not available in our price range.